Altona College hosted its first working bee since COVID, to celebrate National Tree Day.
School council’s Sarah Brooker said the working bee was a continuation of last year’s tree planting.
“For National Tree Planting Day this year we looked after and nurtured the trees we planted last year,” she said.
Ms Brooker said the day consisted of mulching around the trees, planting ground cover along the pathway into the school as well as more planting.
“We also watered plants and trees along our fence line, picked up rubbish, played in the playgrounds, ate icy poles and lollies, swung on the bars and kicked footballs around.”
Twenty-one parents and 21 kids helped on the day. Ms Brooker said the youngest attendee was three-years-old.
“We had kids from the kindergarten next door, primary school children from other schools, through to students from Year 10.
“We also had four teachers come in on their day off to lend a hand and our wonderful school gardener Sarah Moore guided us all.”
Teacher and helper on the day, Micheal Sperling said having parents and students on school grounds was a big success.
“The impact on students having a nice environment to attend for their education is really what the greater good of the event is,” he said.
“It was nice to have kids and families be part of that, it gives them a bit of investment in ownership over it.
“For the kids, if they have helped to build the surroundings that they’re in, they are more invested in it and feel more valued in the environment that they’re in.
“It felt like one of those great community days where everyone’s getting involved, that was the nicest thing about it.”
Jennifer Pittorino
